Long COVID and speech and language therapy: Understanding the mid- to long-term speech and language therapy needs and the impact on services (May 2021)

Summary

This report, Long COVID and speech and language therapy, looks at the mid to long-term speech and language therapy needs of people with Long COVID, the impact these difficulties have on people’s lives and the essential role that speech and language therapy plays in supporting them.

Published by the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT), authors conclude:

"The RCSLT firmly believes that any person with a communication or swallowing difficulty has a right to access high quality speech and language therapy when and where they need it. Any person with such needs after COVID-19 must receive timely, individual, person-centred rehabilitation, which will support and maximise their mental health and wellbeing, participation in society, and ability to return to work."

To achieve this, the report sets out a number of recommendations at national, system and workforce levels. They also set out recommendations for raising awareness to the wider public.